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Trans Lo Dayenu

I wrote this as part of a talk I gave at the Unitarian Fellowship of Northwest Toronto. It is based on the Dayenu portion of the Passover Seder. During this part of the Seder the story of the exodus is recounted by major events and the word “Dayenu” it would have been enough, or sufficient, depending how one translates it into English. The struggles of trans people in North America have been long and many. Often we have been sidelined in favour of the status quo or in the fight for rights for gay and lesbian people in our communities. Therefore, I say that it was not sufficient, it was not enough. This can be read responsively with the responses “It was not enough” and “It is not enough.”

We were instrumental in the Compton Riots in San Francisco.It was not enough.

We were leaders in the Stonewall Riots in New York.It was not enough.

We supported our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters in the fight for gay & lesbian rights.It was not enough.

We fought for equal marriage.It was not enough.

We fought to be allowed to medically transition if we were not going to match stereotypes of what it means to be a man or woman.It was not enough.

We fought to be allowed to remain married through our transition and not be forced to get a divorce.It was not enough.

We fought to be allowed medical transition if we were not going to have genital surgery.It was not enough.

We fought to be allowed medical transition if we were going to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual.It was not enough.

We fought against gatekeeping and doctors, psychologists, and other health providers dictating what was best for us.It was not enough.

We continue to fight against being portrayed as predators and pedophiles.It is not enough.

We fight for access to employment.It is not enough.

We fight for the right to exist without our identities being questioned by others.It is not enough.

We fight for the right of trans children and youth to be able to be themselves without being punished and bullied.It is not enough.

We fight for an end to the violence faced daily by trans people, particularly trans women of colour.It is not enough.

We fight for representation and a say in our own health care and in educating health providers.It is not enough.

We fight for an end to harassment of trans people by police, particularly trans women who engage in sex work, and trans women of colour.It is not enough.

We fight for our voices to be heard when we express our needs, and not have cisgender people tell us what we need.It is not enough.

We fight for adequate mental health care and supports to help those who may feel the need to self-harm or take their own lives.It is not enough.

We fight for our voices to be heard in LGBT community and not be drowned out by the voices of gay and lesbian cis people.It is not enough.

We fight for a day when people of all genders will be accepted, included, and affirmed as who they are and have access to the supports they need to be their true selves.Then it will be enough.

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